Put premium on early childhood education - Onyinah

Denkyemuoso (Ash), June 24, GNA - Mr Joseph Kwabena Onyinah, Ashanti Regional Director of Education, has said there was the need to put premium on early childhood education to ensure proper development of children.

He said the critical role Kindergarten (KG) plays in the laying of solid educational foundation could neither be downplayed nor discounted.

Mr Onyinah was speaking at the inauguration of an ultra-modern block built for the Denkyemuoso M/A Basic School, in Kumasi.

The 80130,000 project was funded by the German-Ghanaian Friendship Association, (GGFA) in Munich, Germany.

Mr Onyinah described as heart-warming the introduction of a degree programme in childhood education by the University of Education, Winneba.

He advised teachers to show love for the job they were doing and to exercise a great deal of patience in their handling of the little children.

He also spoke of the need to make sure that there was in place functional Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) and School Management Committee (SMC) to help to strengthen the administration of the schools as well as judicious utilization of funds.

Madam Gladys Amaning, the Metropolitan Education Director, said it was necessary to make the school environment more-friendly and conducive to effective academic work.

She, therefore, called for proper maintenance of school structures. Mrs Doris Ofori, the Head-teacher, encouraged people in the community to take advantage of the KG to enroll their children.

She appealed for the extension of electricity to the school, computer laboratory, library, and wash room.

Mr Albert Osei-Wusu, President of the GGFA, native of Denkyemuoso and the brain behind the project, said they had also established a vocational and technical Institute for the community to provide teenage mothers and dropouts with employable skills.

Mr Jeffrey Johnson Franke, local representative of the Association, appealed to the teachers to work hard and maintain high level of discipline.